Blitz on quacks

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: In the sternest move yet to weed out quacks, a major blitz is being conducted against illegal practitioners of cosmetic surgery and beauty enhancement clinics.
The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and the police are going after them by making surprise visits on such salons following several complaints of botched jobs, some of which left customers disfigured for life or even caused death.
In issuing the stern warning, MMC president Datuk Dr Ismail Merican, who is also director-general of Health, said it was an offence under the Medical Act 1971 for any person not registered under the Act to practise modern medicine.
On conviction, such a person would be liable to a fine not exceeding RM2,000 for the first offence; a fine of RM5,000 or two years’ jail or both for the second or subsequent offences and a further penalty of RM50 each day for the continuance of such an offence in addition to the penalty.
“Practising medicine illegally may also expose them to harsh criminal action under the Penal Code, especially when human suffering and lives are involved.”
The NST had reported a case in October 2004 of stewardess Jenny Liew Fong Khuan who collapsed and died outside a private clinic in Kuala Lumpur after a nose job.
Malaysian Association of Plastic, Aesthetic and Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons (Mapacs) president Dr R. Angamuthu estimates that for every procedure performed by a legitimate surgeon, more than 10 are conducted by fly-by-night practitioners. Currently, Malaysia has only 40 plastic surgeons.
He said the quacks were usually from China and Taiwan. They were recruited by beauty salons and operated discreetly from shops, hotels or houses.
Among the common procedures offered are double eyelids and nose surgeries, breast augmentation and liposuction.
"Errant practitioners as well as unqualified persons have capitalised on the gullibility of the public by blatantly advertising in the media. Such advertisements on options available which include the use of electronic therapy, have led to a sort of poster war."
Among treatments offered was botox or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) injections, not approved by the Drug Control Authority.
"Their efficacy has not been scientifically proven to date," he added.
MMC had also received reports that injections were given by unqualified persons in unhygienic settings.
The mushrooming of chiropractic and traditional/complementary medicine (TCM) centres is another major concern for the council.
Dr Ismail said the modalities employed by chiropractors and registered TCM practitioners were generally accepted as a form of traditional and complementary practice, provided they did not result in harm. But they were definitely contravening the Act if practitioners duped the public into thinking that they were registered medical practitioners.
Chiropractors and non-doctors were not permitted to utilise 28 instruments listed under the Act, permitted only to doctors. These items include the stethoscope, blood pressure meter, surgical needles, syringes, scalpel blades and forceps.
"Non-doctors are not allowed to order any form of investigations such as X-rays or blood samples," he said, adding that although the Act did not explicitly prohibit TCM and Malay, Chinese, Indian or other native therapeutic methods, any act deemed to induce any person to believe that one was qualified to practise medicine or surgery according to modern scientific methods was an offence and anyone indulging in such malpractices could be prosecuted.
Dr Ismail warned the public to be wary of such practices and advised them to seek the guidance of health authorities when in doubt.
"Whoever utilises illegal services is doing so at his or her own risk. The Health Ministry, as well as the Council, will not be responsible for any adverse outcome."